Homeless Cat Facts

Always the result of pet owners' abandonment or failure to spay/neuter (S/N) their animals

Many assume their animals will survive when they move away and leave them behind; domestic animals do not automatically return to their "natural" instincts and cannot fend for themselves

They do not have the skills needed to survive outside unassisted

True ferals are not socialized to people

Typically fearful of people

Prefer to avoid contact with people

Occasionally form bonds with caregivers

They typically live in groups called colonies and have strong social bonds with their feline colony member

Who are feral cats?

Feral cats are healthy

<1 % are euthanized due to debilitating conditions, trauma, or infectious diseases

Experience similar or lower rates of infections than those for pet cats in the U.S.

Their lifespan is similar to pet cats

Feral cats are protected under state anti-cruelty laws

Intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia

Applies to all cats—companion, abandoned, lost, and feral – regardless of ownership

How managed colonies provide benefits

Stabilizes the population at manageable levels

No more kittens! The population stabilizes and declines over time

Multiple long-term studies have shown that managed colony population sizes decrease over time

One study found a 66% decrease in the populations over 10 years.

Another documented study showed decreases 16 -32% beginning three years after TNR began.

Stanford had an estimated 1500 feral cats on campus in 1993. The Stanford Cat Network was formed to manage the feral cat population. Friendlies and kittens were removed and placed into adoptive homes. Feral cats were TNR'd. As of 2006, there are 50 feral cats on campus. This is a 97% reduction in the population of feral cats.